This invention is concerned with aseptic packages which comprises semi-rigid beverage containers which are designed to be sealed after filling and which are provided with an area in their tops which is formed by a preforatable membrane which is to be perforated to enable the beverage to be consumed.
Often such aseptic packages are sold with a drinking straw. The membrane is to be pierced with the straw to open the package. The straw is then immersed in the beverage so that it can be drunk through the straw.
There is a risk of spillage either as the aseptic package is being opened or if it is squeezed once it has been opened. GB-A-2170791 discloses a teat unit having a tubular spike for insertion through the perforatable membrane of an aseptic package which is described as a parallelepipedic box formed from a paper/plastic laminate. The disclosed teat unit provides means for feeding a baby from the aseptic package without the necessity of first dispensing the liquid into a conventional feeding bottle. Such a teat unit suffers from the disadvantage that the liquid contents of the aseptic package spurt out as the spike is being inserted whilst the package is held in the hand. An object of this invention is to
There are larger aseptic packages from which the beverage is to be poured into a cup or mug for drinking rather than being drunk directly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,560 is concerned with a jug-like container for such an aseptic package, the container having a hinged lid which has depending puncture means associated respectively with a vent hole and an outlet through which liquid can be poured from the container, the outlet and the vent hole being formed in the lid which is arranged so that the puncture means pierce the top of an aseptic package placed within the container as the lid is closed, there being passages in each puncture means leading to the respective aperture whereby liquid contained in the aseptic package can be poured through the outlet via the respective passage in the puncture means. The lid is provided with a sliding closure member which is slidable to open or close the apertures. EP-A-0241632 discloses a similar jug-like container with a pouring spout for an aseptic package. GB-A-2135288 discloses a container which is adapted to enclose a milk or fruit juice carton and which is provided with a pouring spout and means to pierce the top of the carton.
GB-A-2046226 discloses a hollow container of generally rectangular cross-section having a top and a bottom and forming an internal cavity which is sized to accommodate a rectangular sealed package of beverage with semi-rigid walls and a penetrable wall, there being an opening in the container providing access to the cavity whereby the package can be inserted into the cavity and be positioned therein with its top adjacent the top of the cavity, and be removed therefrom, means operable to retain the package within the cavity, and puncture means which depend from the top of the container and project into the cavity so as to pierce the top of the package when the latter is positioned therein with its top adjacent the top of the cavity, the puncture means forming an outlet for liquid from within the package through the top of the container. This disclosure is mainly concerned with drinking the contents of a sealed bag or envelope of plastics material and provides means whereby that can be drunk directly from the bag through a straw or drinking tube which is inserted through the puncture means that are tubular. Such means are not suitable for use by a baby or infant.